"I understand that you are the officer in charge of the Marbury murder
case," he observed. "I believe I can give you some valuable information
in respect to that. I read the account of the affair in the _Watchman_
newspaper this morning, and saw the portrait of the murdered man there,
and I was at first inclined to go to the _Watchman_ office with my
information, but I finally decided to approach the police instead of
the Press, regarding the police as being more--more responsible."

"Much obliged to you, sir," said Rathbury, with a glance at Spargo.
"Whom have I the pleasure of----"

"My name," replied the visitor, drawing out and laying down a card, "is
Myerst--Mr. E.P. Myerst, Secretary of the London and Universal Safe
Deposit Company. I may, I suppose, speak with confidence," continued
Mr. Myerst, with a side-glance at Spargo. "My information
is--confidential."

Rathbury inclined his head and put his fingers together.

"You may speak with every confidence, Mr. Myerst," he answered. "If
what you have to tell has any real bearing on the Marbury case, it will
probably have to be repeated in public, you know, sir. But at present
it will be treated as private."

"It has a very real bearing on the case, I should say," replied Mr.
Myerst. "Yes, I should decidedly say so. The fact is that on June 21st
at about--to be precise--three o'clock in the afternoon, a stranger,
who gave the name of John Marbury, and his present address as the
Anglo-Orient Hotel, Waterloo, called at our establishment, and asked if